Matihiko Awards 2025
Ngā Tohu Matihiko Celebrating Māori Excellence in Digital and Technology
Thursday 12 June 2025, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Ōtautahi
Recipients for 2025
These recipients are part of a growing movement. Ngā Tohu Matihiko continues to celebrate Māori who are shaping digital futures grounded in identity, community, and excellence.
Corporate Change
Tipu: Kat Falepau (Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Waikato Tainui)
Tōtara: Ernestynne Walsh (Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau a Apanui)
Innovator/Auahatanga
Tipu: Nicole Retter (Muaūpoko)
Tōtara: Amber Craig (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Muaūpoko, Ngāi Tara)
Pakihi
Tipu: Cloverbase
Tōtara: Te Matatini Enterprises
Kaiāwhina
Tipu: Ta’ase Vaoga (Ngāpuhi, Te Ātihaunui-a-Papārangi and Hāmoa)
Tōtara: Moko Templeton (Waikato, Ngāranui)
Public Sector
Tipu: Jahminique Grace (Ngāti Porou)
Tōtara: Sonny Tatahau Taite (Ngāi Te Rangi)
Kaitiaki o te Taiao
Tipu: Ratu Mataira (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu)
Tōtara: Mike Taitoko (Ngāti Maniapoto)
Whiua ki te Ao
Tipu: Gloria Ewe (Mātāwaka)
Tōtara: Miriana Lowrie (Ngā Rauru Kītahi)
Rangatiratanga
Tipu: Arahi Hippolite (Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Kuia, Kāi Tahu)
Tōtara: Dan Te Whenua Walker (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Ruahinerangi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Tūhourangi, Maniapoto, Manuhiakai, Tangahoe)
Daniel Karehana Memorial Scholarship
2025 Recipient: Lucas Bawden (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Te Pou)
Kaupapa
Tipu: M.A.T.C.H,
Tōtara: Digital Natives Academy
Change-Maker
Tipu: Kātene Durie-Doherty (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kauwhata, Kāi Tahu, Rongowhakaata, Rangitāne, Ngāti Raukawa)
Tōtara: Jordan Koziol-Repia (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Iwi o Rakaipaaka)
Emergent Icon
Winner: Léon Bristow (Ngāpuhi)
Living Icon
Winner: Te Taka Keegan (Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaue)
Ngā Momo Tohu
The awards are designed to be inter-generational — along with a Living Icon and Emergent Icon award, there is a tuakana and a teina recipient for each of the 10 awards.
He Tōtara
An established leader
He Tipu
An emergent leader, or someone new to the industry (5-7 years)
Each Tōtara and Tipu in each category will receive $1,000 to koha to a kaupapa of their choice.
Recognises contribution to progressing and empowering kaupapa Māori within a corporate workplace.
Recognises innovative mahi or mahi in innovation.
Recognises excellence in leadership. This may be in governance, business leadership or rōpū leadership.
Recognising excellence of pakihi Māori in digital and tech.
Recognises the planners, organisers, project managers and people that kept the mahi moving.
Recognises contribution by Māori kaimahi within the public sector in digital + tech.
Recognises contribution to tech projects which have a positive impact on sustainability and te taiao.
For contribution to global projects in digital and tech.
For contribution to not-for-profit, community, iwi or social enterprise in the digital and tech sector.
Recognises contributions to meaningful change in the digital and tech sector.
Recognises great achievement to a newcomer in the digital tech sector. Service and contribution to Māori digital and tech.
Recognises a lifetime achievement in service to Māori and the digital tech sector.
About the Awards
After the success of the Matihiko awards in 2023 and 2024, Ngā Tohu Matihiko has returned for 2025.
We are both honoured and excited to provide recognition for rangatira Māori and emerging Māori leaders, whilst celebrating their contributions to te ao matihiko – digital and tech – once again.
The awards are a kaitahi affair (sharing kai together) and in person, Thursday 12 June 2025 at Te Pae Christchurch Conference Centre in Ōtautahi.
The awards are designed to be inter-generational, having a tuakana and a teina recipient for each of the 10 awards:
He Tōtara
An established leader
He Tipu
An emerging leader
Each Tōtara and Tipu in each category will receive $1,000 to koha to a kaupapa of their choice.
Continue reading to learn more about the award categories. Ticket info will be available in due course, keep checking back on this page for more info.
Ngā Rā Whakahira | Key Dates 2025
12 Feb: Nominations are open.
11 April: Nominations close at midnight NZST.
29 April: Judging begins.
12 June: Awards night at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre in Ōtautahi, Christchurch.
Ngā Tohu Matihiko 2024!
Throwback to June 22, 2024; a special evening was had with all of our hapori and kaitautoko (supporters) from across the motu.
201 nominations, 66 finalists & 22 winners, along with a special tohu honouring Graeme Everton, and a scholarship for technology in memory of Daniel Karehana.
We mihi to all the people who helped make this event happen, including our mana whenua Te Kei o te Waka Tanui, our incredible MC Stacey Morrison, our two wonderful wāhine NZSL interpreters, our ringawera, the tech team, the hapori for showing up and supporting, whānau and friends, our sponsors (ka NUI te mihi!), OG Herbs Tama, Maurice and the band, and anyone who gave this special event their aroha.
These awards were created to shine a light on the incredible contribution Māori make in digital and tech and (as you’ll see later this year), we got to see just a little of that mīharotanga / amazingness! We know there’s even more out there, and we’re looking forward to sharing these stories with this years Ngā Tohu Matihiko on June 12, 2025.
Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou mō tō tautoko.
Photos and Videos from the Matihiko Awards Night, 2024
Whakaahua
Thanks to our friends at Smoke Photography, we captured some beautiful whakaahua and kiriata from the evening of Ngā Tohu Matihiko 2024.
Please feel free to save them and share them out to your networks. Māori ki te ao! Make sure to tag us so that we can tautoko you too! 📸 #MatihikoAwards2024
Access them by clicking the links below. To retrieve the videos from the 360 CAM, use the password MA24 to access.
